At last: Odysseus.
The Odyssey · A2
Book Five: Calypso’s Island
Irregular pasts (sent, built), cried, couldn’t, did…?, more beautiful, for seventeen days, suddenly, nobody and so tired that: A2 grammar for a raft, a storm and a goddess.
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SOPHIA
MARCOS
Where was he?
The story
After Homer’s Odyssey
Zeus sent Hermes to the island of Ogygia. For seven years, Odysseus had lived there with the goddess Calypso. Every day he sat on the beach and cried. He couldn’t go home: he had no ship.
Calypso said: “Stay, and you will never die. Am I not more beautiful than your wife?” Did Odysseus want to stay? No, he didn’t. He built a raft in four days and sailed for seventeen days.
Suddenly, Poseidon sent a storm, and a huge wave broke the raft. Odysseus swam to land. There was nobody on the beach. He was so tired that he slept for a whole day.
The past simple
DEMETRIA
Zeus sent Hermes. Odysseus built a raft and cried every day. Did he want to stay?
SOPHIA
Irregular: send → sent, build → built. Spelling: cry → cried. Questions: did + base verb.
Couldn’t; more beautiful; for
PHILO
He couldn’t go home. Calypso was more beautiful. He sailed for seventeen days.
SOPHIA
couldn’t = past of can’t. more + long adjective. for + a length of time.
Suddenly; nobody; so… that
MARCOS
Suddenly, a wave! There was nobody there. He was so tired that he slept all day.
SOPHIA
suddenly (adverb). nobody + positive verb. so + adjective + that for a result.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| sent / built / cried; Did…? | past simple | He built a raft. Did he stay? |
| couldn’t; more beautiful than | past ability; long adjectives | He couldn’t go home. |
| for + time; suddenly | length; adverb | for seventeen days |
| nobody; so… that | no one; result | He was so tired that he slept. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Zeus ___ Hermes to the island.
2. Every day, Odysseus sat and ___.
3. He ___ go home. He had no ship.
4. ___ Odysseus want to stay?
5. He ___ a raft in four days.
6. He sailed ___ seventeen days.
B · Write
Write the missing word or words.
7. Calypso was beautiful than Penelope.
8. , a huge wave hit the raft.
9. There was on the beach. (no person)
10. He was tired that he slept all day.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Did he wanted to stay?”
12. “Nobody saw him.”
13. “He was so tired than he slept.”
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